Vincent

Vincent is quiet, hard working, soft spoken, and willing to do absolutely whatever is asked, no matter how menial or dirty. Vincent works in our Distribution Center five days a week. He is very grateful, loves to help, likes to stay busy and likes to look for opportunities to make others’ job easier. Incidentally, Vincent is homeless and currently lives with his good friend LeeRoy at a construction site for one of the many highway projects in Houston. They have both been told that they are welcome to stay there around the heavy machinery because those in charge know they look out for the place after hours. Before he comes to work with us, Vincent must every day bring everything he owns with him on a cart, masterfully attaching it with rope, bungee cord, probably some gum, and hope.

Vincent started coming for homeless services and always wanted to lend a hand, whether out of appreciation for the services he was receiving or because of his understanding of how much work needs to be done every day at our Distribution Center. He quickly became someone we wanted to have around. Vincent is also very private, which made it difficult to learn about his past as well as what he wanted for his future and how to effectively help him. Like so many, his past has proven very difficult to escape. Keeping a steady job and getting an interview for a new one can be very difficult when a few bad past decisions are dangling out for everyone to see like laundry hanging out to dry. However, after many months he began to open up and tell how he had previously made a living as a truck driver, and that his dream is to get his commercial drivers license back and live a private life on the open road exploring the country.

Thanks to Impact’s partnership with Arms of Hope and the resources with which they have to work, Vincent and I were able to attend a workshop that laid out the requirements to be trained and receive a CDL. Vincent does not at all mind jumping through what are for him unnecessary hoops, like money management classes or rudimentary training; he is just excited that for the first time in a long time his dream is within reach. Selfishly, we don’t want Vincent to go anywhere,we want to work alongside him for years to come.

However, even more we want Vincent to know that Impact loves him and that Jesus redeems him!